Dental emergencies presenting to a university-based paediatric dentistry clinic in the West Indies.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of the present study were to investigate the type and prevalence of dental emergencies presenting at a teaching hospital paediatric emergency clinic in Trinidad, and to describe the socio-demographic factors related to the use of the service.

DESIGN AND METHODS: The authors used a prospective study of consecutive dental patients presenting to a paediatric emergency clinic. Data recorded included type of presenting emergency and socio-demographic variables.

RESULTS: Data were available for 309 participants; 47% were male and 53% female. The average age of the participants was 8.66 years (SD = 3.75 years; range = 1-16 years). Seventy-three per cent of the participants' parents were involved in manual work or unemployed, and 21% were in nonmanual/professional employment; the occupation was not known in 6% of cases. Caries-related problems accounted for 74% of emergencies. Dental trauma mostly affected the upper permanent incisor teeth, with concussion, subluxation and intrusion being the most common injuries.

CONCLUSION: Dental emergencies presenting to this university-based clinic were predominantly related to caries and trauma. The service was more frequently utilized by children in the mixed dentition stage, children from lower socioeconomic groups and those living in the local area. The frequency of caries-related problems indicates the need for more community-based preventive strategies, including encouraging greater attendance for routine dental care and dental health education. Strategies for oral health promotion should also be developed to prevent dental trauma.